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Old July 23rd 16, 03:00 AM posted to rec.aviation.piloting
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Default Senate and House have Approved Third-Class Medical Reform

wrote:
On Friday, July 22, 2016 at 5:01:05 PM UTC-4, wrote:
wrote:
On Friday, July 22, 2016 at 12:46:03 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Um, the plaque test should pretty much do it for a read on
arterial calcification. An MRI wouldn't be a bad idea if one
has a family history of Intracranial Aneurysm Rupture, but
otherwise it's a waste of money. The former is worth paying
the deductible as it answers a lot of questions.

The average cost of a MRI in the US is $2,600. How often do you
recommend doing this?

If you can't afford medical insurance, you can't afford to fly.


Medical insurance will not pay for a MRI "just because"; there would
have to be some indication of an issue to justify insurance paying.


Mine does. And without referrals.


Aren't you lucky; very few do.

And the point here was hidden condtions that don't show up in any but
the most extensive of physicals and certainly not in a 3rd class physical.


No, my original point was that the efficacy of 3rd class medicals is
such that you cannot quantify how many airplane crashes they prevented
because data on non-pilots isn't tracked, and speculation as to what
may have happened is just that, speculation. So, MANY candidates have
failed their 3rd class medicals, and if that made us all safer cannot
be proven.


You mean other than the data for balloon, glider, and light sport pilots
which don't require a medical?

My plaque test after deductible was about 35 bucks. As they said
there wasn't even a hint of any, I figure check again in about
10 years. Unlike most Americans I'm not overweight, don't smoke,
don't drink, exercise daily, and eat very healthy.


And a fair number of people who are not overweight, don't smoke, don't drink,
exercise daily, and eat very healthy drop dead every day from something
that did not show up in a routine physical.


Hardly. Unless you're counting old age, which is 100% fatal.


No, not in droves, but it does happen.

So what does that have to do with 3rd class physicals?


What it has to do with 3rd class physicals is CFR Part 67.311 which
states the following, and any individuals who failed their medicals
for these reasons, and then died of cardio problems as non-pilots,
never appeared on a statistical review of medical wash-outs.


But would appear in the statistical records for alloon, glider, and
light sport pilots if it actually were happening.

Cardiovascular standards for a third-class airman medical certificate are no established medical history or clinical diagnosis of any of the following:

(a) Myocardial infarction;

(b) Angina pectoris;

(c) Coronary heart disease that has required treatment or, if untreated, that has been symptomatic or clinically significant;

(d) Cardiac valve replacement;

(e) Permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation; or

(f) Heart replacement.

A clinical diagnosis can be an E.K.G. in any doctor's office.


All of which can be waivered with lots of tests and lots of time and money.

And you keep seeming to forget you still have to get a physical and
self certify.

You can save a loved one or yourself by finding out if you're
afflicted with atherosclerosis and/or vascular plaque, as this
is what causes a sudden myocardial infarction which has caused
numerous plane crashes.


As there has never been any test for such things in a 3rd class physical,
it is irrelevant to the issue.


My understanding is that it is the responsibility of an AME to establish
that part 67.311 is carried out, often by a simple, in office EKG if
the candidate reports or presents any reason to be concerned.


And usually there has been no reason to be concerned until something
happens.


There never has been any test of mental stability for civilian pilots.

Well, not directly. But if their history of prior diagnosis by another
doctor gave indications or prognoses of such, then it may be an
insurmountable hurdle. And might should be.

If what history?

Very few people go to mental health professionals unless there is a
big problem.

Then they've probably not been hospitalized or incarcerated,
and aren't a known risk. This doesn't mean unstable people don't
quietly walk among us. The problem in this category seems to be
a lack of identification. (most "terrorists" lately may actually
be psychotically disturbed folks wearing that label.) My GP knows
very little about mental health beyond a Wikipedia education.
Addressing this gap is something that could solve several problems.

So how many crazy GA pilots are crashing their airplanes per year?

Attention deficit and lack of concentration go with depression, and
cognitive rigidity. You don't have to be suicidal like that
commercial pilot that intentionally nose grounded a passenger jet.
I'm not saying it's statistically a big problem today. Substance
abuse is a mental issue, including flying intoxicated.


And the relevance to a 3rd class physical is?


The relevance to a 3rd class medical is that as per CFR Part 67.307,
it is the responsibility of the AME to assure the following, and any
individuals who failed their medicals for these reasons and didn't
crash a plane, have not been tallied. Therefore it isn't established
that the 3rd class medical is ineffective.


You mean other than the history of balloon, glider, and sport pilots which
have NO medical requirements?

Mental standards for a third-class airman medical certificate a


Long, boring, and irrelevant to anything.

Most crashes are pilot error. Most errors are mental lapses. Why?


Lots of reasons and well documented such as "Hey, guys, watch this",
get home-itis, lack of proper planning, etc.


So, then, mental.


As opposed to what, gastrointestinal?



--
Jim Pennino